Windows^® XP Hacks & Mods For Dummies^®

by Woody Leonhard (Phuket Island, Thailand )

• ISBN13: 9780471775348
• ISBN10: 0471775347
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2005-10-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Windows guru Woody Leonhard gives people the power to fight back against unwanted shortcuts, system slowdowns, spyware infestations, and other perennial PC problems and annoyances in this much-needed book. Step-by-step instructions help even novice users go "under the hood" to modify their systems, whether they want to overhaul XP's look and feel, boost speed, beef up security, perform maintenance and updates, or enhance multimedia performance. The book covers simple and complex changes including tweaking the taskbar, adding desktop search, making a PC game-friendly, turbocharging browser performance, eradicating viruses and spyware, updating drivers, and augmenting music and video capabilities Includes special directions on dealing with software, shortcuts, and other unwanted "features" installed on new PCs that slow down computing time

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Part I: The Nuts & Bolts of Hacks & Mods.

Chapter 1: Windows XP: What’s Not to Love?

Chapter 2: Tools of the Hacking Trade.

Chapter 3: A Quick XP Makeover.

Part II: Controlling the Look and Feel of Windows XP.

Chapter 4: TweakUI, the Power User’s PowerToy.

Chapter 5: Pinning Down the Start Menu.

Chapter 6: Taking On the Taskbar.

Chapter 7: Decking Out the Desktop.

Part III: Adjusting Everyday Activities.

Chapter 8: Reining In Windows Explorer.

Chapter 9: Cool Keyboard Hacks and Menu Mods.

Chapter 10: Searching on the Desktop.

Chapter 11: Switching to Better Online Software.

Chapter 12: Pulling Off Pictures.

Part IV: Modding to Monitor and Manage.

Chapter 13: Seeing What’s Happening.

Chapter 14: Decoding IDs, Accounts, and Passwords.

Chapter 15: Using Remote Assistance.

Chapter 16: Retooling Disks.

Part V: Protecting Yourself (And Your PC).

Chapter 17: Changing (In)Security Settings.

Chapter 18: Taking the “Mal” out of Malware.

Chapter 19: Keeping Your Privates Private.

Part VI: Entertaining Yourself.

Chapter 20: Making the Most of Media Player.

Chapter 21: Buying Music and Videos.

Chapter 22: Trading Music and Videos.

Chapter 23: Getting Games to Work.

Part VII: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 24: Ten Steps to Mastering the Registry.

Chapter 25: Ten Speed-Up Hacks — Maybe.

Index.